


Just Because

by brightlycoloredteacups



Series: Brynhilda and the Trauma Doctor [1]
Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-01-18
Packaged: 2019-03-06 09:00:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13407858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brightlycoloredteacups/pseuds/brightlycoloredteacups
Summary: Brynhilda shows Eliza as much affection as she can muster, just because.





	Just Because

There’s something bothering Eliza. It takes her a minute, then she realizes, it’s the pajamas. Not only are they utterly like anything she’s ever seen Brynhilda wear, but they fit her perfectly. Brynhilda is three inches shorter than her, the pants should show off her ankles at the very least. “Hey, um, Hilda?” The woman in question grunts, head popping up over the counter in the kitchen. She’s putting food in Fireball’s bowl, undoubtedly. “Whose pajamas are these?”

           Eliza frowns, picking at them. Did they belong to an ex? That’s a bit tacky. Eliza feels a rush of irritation she refuses to recognize a jealousy. “They’re yours,” Brynhilda says, getting up. She frowns, watching Eliza. “Is it the color?” Eliza finally looks up from her clothes. Brynhilda has her arms behind her back, worrying her lip, and glaring at the garments as if they’d personally offended her. “I tried to look for other pairs, but they were all to frilly…” She trails off for a moment. It dawns on Eliza, the reason the pajamas fit so perfectly was because Brynhilda specifically went out to buy them. “Not that I mind frilly!” Brynhilda quickly amends. “I just-” She takes a deep breath. “I’ll return them. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed.”

           Eliza smiles as red tints her girlfriend’s cheeks. “I love them.” She says, feeling silly. Of course, her girlfriend bought her pajamas before asking her to stay over for the first time. Brynhilda keeps her face stone-like as her green eyes shoot to Eliza. “Really, it’s no trouble,” She mutters, wanting to believe Eliza for all she’s worth. Eliza rounds the counter and takes Brynhilda’s face in her hands. Planting a soft kiss to Brynhilda forehead, the smaller woman visibly relaxes. “Why did you even go out of your way to buy me pajamas in the first place?” Brynhilda shrugs. “Just because.” She mutters. Just because I love you.

*

Eliza shuffles through the door, sore and irritated. There had been a particularly nasty pile up on the highway earlier, and she’d been called in, effectively cutting her dinner short. “Hey Brynie,” She calls, not expecting an answer. She hears a door open, coupled with the snorting of a pig and scrambling of hooves. Fireball the Invincible rushes down the hallways to greet his other mother. “Hey buddy,” She says, squatting down and scratching the pig’s ears, still sort of amazed he learned how to use the ropes tied to the handles to open doors. “Is momma sleeping?” She whispers. As if Fireball can understand her, he snorts.

           Eliza spends a few more moments scratching at the pig’s ears before standing up. She walks over to the counter and sets her purse down. She smiles as she spies a plate of homemade sugar cookies, with a note underneath the plate. She takes a cookie and the note and reads it. “Saved a few slices of pizza, just because. -Brynhilda.” Her smile widens as she skips over to the fridge. She takes out the pizza box and opens it. As usual, there are more than a few slices. Brynhilda isn’t one for pizza. Eliza munches happily, noting all her favorite toppings.

           She settles on the couch and turns the television on, not realizing the note should read “Just because I love you.”

*

            The only reason Brynhilda doesn’t go to Ivar for help is…well, it’s Ivar. She doesn’t want to deal with his smart ass comments, not when it comes to Eliza. She’s tried this shit before, getting flowers for a girl. This is different. What she has with Eliza…it’s something special. She hopes it is anyway. She stands at the florist forever, agonizing over what to get. Flowers of all shapes and sizes stare at her, it’s all overwhelming. She’s just about to turn and leave when the shop owner walks up to her.

“Hello dear,” the old woman says. “Hi,” Brynhilda mutters, immediately tense, where had the old lady come from? “So, who’s the lucky fella?”

“What?”

“You’ve been standing in my shop for the past five minutes looking like you want the earth to swallow you whole.” She continues, smiling knowingly. “Who’s the lucky fella?”

“She’s my,” Brynhilda stops, pressing her lips together. “Friend,” She finished lamely. That’s not true, Eliza is so much more, but Brynhilda can’t find it in herself to put a name to what she has with Eliza. To do that would make Brynhilda more attached than she already is, it would make Eliza leaving her more painful. She can’t do that to herself. The old woman looks at her, disbelieving her claim, but not arguing. “Well, what does this friend like?”

“She likes Forget-Me-Nots.” Brynhilda mutters, crossing her arms over her chest, uncomfortable. She didn’t even know people had favorite flowers until Ylva said something at lunch the other day. Eliza had mentioned, in passing, she was fond of Forget-Me-Nots and Birds of Paradise. Brynhilda had no clue what either of those looked like, but it didn’t matter. Eliza had a twenty-four-hour shift tonight, and Brynhilda wanted to get her something colorful, at the very least. Just to liven up the dingy ER.

           The old woman helps Brynhilda, and an hour later, she finds herself standing in front of the ER receptionists desk. “Dr. Yeganeh works tonight right?” She asks, she wants to make sure. The bright little nurse smiles at her. “Yes, she does. I’m Anna, what can I do for you?” Brynhilda passes the pot flowers over to Anna. “Would you please give this to her? Tell her it’s from Brynhilda. Just because.” Just because I love her.

*

           Brynhilda doesn’t celebrate Christmas, but her friends do. That means one gift each for Ivar, Ylva, Floki, and Helga, all practical in their own way, and twenty gifts for Dagny. The child will probably only play with the wrapping paper and the boxes, but it doesn’t matter. It’s mostly clothes anyway. Cute little outfits, shoes, headbands, hair clips. For once, she and Ivar coordinated Christmas, that way, the toys Brynhilda bought weren’t the same ones Ivar bought, like last year.

           “I can’t believe she’s going to be three.” Brynhilda mutters, carefully taping the wrapping paper. “I can’t believe you bought her all this stuff.” Eliza mutters from the couch. Brynhilda’s cheeks heat up. “Of course, you can believe it.” She says. “Dagny’s my dynamite.”

“That’s Kryptonite honey.” Brynhilda grunts, whatever, the point was clear. She shuffles through her gifts and comes across one she’d gotten for Eliza. “Hey, uh,” Brynhilda looks at Eliza, who’s smiling gently at her. Panic sets in. She isn’t going to like it, she’s going to be offended and she’s going to be mad at you. Brynhilda gulps, whatever the case, it was now or never. “I have a present for you too, but, we don’t celebrate Christmas so, here.” Brynhilda holds out the book.

           “What’s this?” Eliza says, hopping off the couch and shuffling towards her girlfriend. “It’s your grandmother’s Quran,” Brynhilda explains. “I had it rebound for you.” The book slips from her hands as Eliza looks at it, mouth open, face unreadable. Brynhilda frowns. She did the wrong thing, of course she did. How presumptuous of her to think that Eliza wanted something so personal restored. If she wanted something like that, Eliza would’ve said something. She’s about to apologize when Eliza falls to her knees. Brynhilda panics and leans back on instinct. She waits for a blow that never comes. Instead, Eliza pulls her into a crushing hug.

           “Thank you.” Eliza whispers, burying her face into Brynhilda’s shoulder. Brynhilda’s smile is real and warm as she wraps her arms around Eliza. “I’m glad you like it.” She mutters. Elation fills her, she’d done the right thing after all. Eliza pulls back for a kiss. “Why did you do it?” She asks. Brynhilda opens her mouth to respond. “Because,” She starts. You can do this. She thinks. You’ve been with her for three years, you can tell her this one little thing. She’s been meaning to do it, but could never find the right time. “Because,” She winces, her throat won’t cooperate. Eliza will feel forced to say the words back, she doesn’t love you. Goddesses don’t fall in love with dogs.

           “Hilda?” Eliza mutters, swiping a thumb across her cheek. “You can tell me you know,” Brynhilda shivers goosebumps popping up on her arms. She curses Eliza in her head, she wishes she’d never met Ms. Perfect Doctor. She immediately regrets that train of thought, it isn’t true, she’s just frustrated with it all. “Because I love you.” She finally mutters, relieved she can get it out. Eliza giggles and presses yet another kiss to Brynhilda’s lips. “I love you too.”  


End file.
